The Federal Government says it is waiting for the outcome of the forensic investigation ordered to ascertain the actual cause of last Tuesday’s explosion in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital.

The Minister of Solid Minerals, Dr Dele Alake, said this in a statement issued by his Special Assistant on Media, Segun Tomori, on Sunday, January 21, 2024.

Tomori noted that Alake had earlier condoled with the families of those who lost their lives and other victims, adding that the Ministry also deployed Mine Inspectorate officers to the scene of the explosion to join other security agencies to unravel the cause of the incident.

He said: “The Federal Government is now waiting for the outcome of forensic investigations that will determine the real cause of the blast, the explosives type that triggered it, and the circumstances leading to the unfortunate incident that led to loss of lives and properties.

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“Alongside the press statement personally signed by Dr. Alake to convey his deepest sympathies to the people of Oyo State, he has also being at the forefront of working with the security agencies to unearth the cause and put mechanisms in place to avert a recurrence.

“Last week Wednesday during the Federal Executive Council meeting, President Bola Tinubu took a step to holistically address insecurity around our nation’s natural resources by constituting an inter-ministerial committee led by Dr. Alake to come up with a blueprint to effectively and efficiently secure solid minerals, forests, and marine economy, which constitutes Nigeria’s natural resources.

“The committee held a maiden meeting last Friday and has been working round the clock to draw up strategies of achieving the presidential mandate. In the coming days, there will be an expanded meeting with heads of security agencies, which will assist the committee in getting the requisite inputs that will guide it in turning in a robust report to the President.”

He, however, quoted Alake as assuring Nigerians that the federal government is committed to addressing challenges from the root, hence its resolve to await the outcome of the forensic investigation on the Ibadan explosion before making a definite pronouncement.

The Star